Portable hydraulic metal straightening machine



July ,11, 19,39 E. M. 'PFAUsER' 2,165,503

PORTABLE HYDRAULIC METAL sTRAIGHTEmN MACHINE Filed Feb. 4,1935 y Patented July 11, i939 i 2,165,503v Y' s PATENT OFFICE `PORTABLE n'YDnAUIJc vMETAL STRAIGHTENING MACHINE Edward lV'I. Pfauser, Milwaukee, assignor to Blackhawk Mfg. Co., Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin i `Application February `4, 1935, serial No. 4,728 1s Claims. (ci. 153-32) My invention provides a portable hydraulic effectiveness, `often inconvenient, and usually inmetal straightening machine. The machine of jurious to the'part'operated upon.

UNITED STATE my invention is particularly applicable' to auto- Such a machineshould have the convenience mobile repair work. Whileit may be applied to of a tool, but provide the inherently guided and 5 other uses it finds a maximum utility in the controlledv action, of a machine. I 5 straightening or reshapingof bent or deformed Such amachine should be readily applicable frames, bodies, fenders, etc., as well as the varto various surfaces, areas, modes and ydirections ious incidental applications of force to various of applying its effect. It should be able to act parts to force them apart or together, as the in confined places without diminution of effect l0 case may be. or speedof operation. It should be able to work 10 There has been a demand of long standing on 'close spacing or Where partsare at considfor'amachine applicable to the various operaerable-distance from each other, or from a suptions involved in repairing automobiles damaged port.r l Y by collision or the like, which machine will pro- Such a machine should be able to produce and 15 vide for theready and convenient application exert a `high degree of force upon a part of the 16 of a large degree of force, but under the most automobile to be straightened or forced into demnute and accurate control. Such a device sired psition, even though no stable base or should be conveniently applicable to various foundation is available. f straightening or bending operations. The yop- Such a machine should have no lost motion, 2o erator should be able to observe the action'of or overthrow. There shouldbe no yield in any 20 the device', even though the force must be apofthe parts. It should be light, strong, convenplied at a point or from a position which is con,- iently transportable to -the work, and easily ap-- cealed from the view of the operator.` Thatis plicable to the particular operation to be perto say, the operator should be able to stand at formed.i1It should be capable of being conven- 25 a position where he can observe the straighteniently operated"by one man. It should comprise 25 ing effect, for. example, sight along a beam or no heavy parts inconvenient to handle o r to apbar, or see the outside of a dented sheet metal ply.

p art which is being straightened, while .he is Such a machine should have the capability producing, or applying the necessary force. The of performing numerous incidental operations, f

the part of the operator. perform its special work.

3o machine should not require excessive exertion on or general operations, along with the ability tol v30 Such' a-machine should 'be able toproducea Such a machine should be mexpensive, so-that pure straight line force in tension or compression, it is.avai1able to small vshop owners, and be between parts to be' pulled or pushed together or widely available to the public.

vazyapart, and it should be able to do thisno matter Now it is the chief object of my invention to a5 how narrow or how wide/the spacing. providea machine which Will fulfill the above The machine should preferablybe hand opand numerous other requirements. erated, for simplicity and lowcost. Also, it The particular embodiment of my invention should, if motor operated, be under most accuwhich I shall hereinafter describe in detail, ful- 4(;. rate and sensitive control. Afills' all of the abovev requirements and secures, 40

The available force should be very great,.and in addition, certain resultant advantages which yet its application shouldbe attended with no'.v -indicate the marked advancein the art which. danger to the operator or to the work. To this .it has produced. end there should/,be no tendency, as in hand The machine of my invention is of low cost.. -l operated jacks employed* in the prior art, to This enables a small shopto employ it as'equip- 45' slip, due to the reaction of the force appliedV by ment and compete in quality and speed of output .the operatorin actuating thedevice.V 'I'hat is with larger shops more elaborately equipped, or tosay, iaqksiboth mechanical and hydraulic# able topurchase and employ more expensive asnowemployed are` dangerous and inconven. equipment, Y 5G ient to use, as the reaction of the leverageof The speed of operation o f the'present device -50 the force applied by the operator tends to pro)- 4 on a repair job ismucli greater ythan was ever duce slippage of the jack'with respect tofthe, possiblewith'the most advanced'equipment here- Work.. As a result manypperations cannot be tofore known. For example a job that under performed by pressure and. resort must be had prior methods -of repair-i. cl2 with previously .LQ to hammering, which is frequently lacking in known equipment would take 2,0 man hours, was 55 l i. e. hammer blows.

A'ao

by the `aid of my machine done in 7 man hours.

This is reflected in lower cost to the public.

The quality of work done by my machine is superior to that done by the best of prior equipment. The accuracy of operation and the certainty with which accurate results are obtainable expedites and improves' operations.

certain straightening operations by pressure which previously could only be done by impact Now it is to be observed that most automobile collision repair-work is no more than straightening out bent parts or unfolding thin metal yparts that have been dented or wrinkled by collision or impact. I have found that most such parts can readily be bent back into their original shape or straightened. Where sheet metal parts are involved itis usually a lcase of pushing out dents or unfolding wrinkles. For this the slow powerful and accurately controlled motion produced by my machine is ideal.

' Now in attaining the above objects and advantages and meeting. the above demands I have provided an unusually simple and inexpensive but highly effective machine. my machine I haveconceived as the central thought a simplehydraulic system involving a pump preferablymanually operated or at least manually controlled, a small and light hydraulic ram of a size that can convenientlyl be carried in and placed by one hand employed as the force converting medium and al flexible connecting conduit of convenient length. 'I'he details of construction of the hydraulic system are set forth in my copending application, Serial No.- 72,750, led April 4, 1936, as`a continuation inpart of ,the present application'which` is particularly directed to the work engaging fittings and their relationship to the ram.

In a practicaly embodiment of my invention this central concept is elaborated in order to support certain desired capabilities, among others 'the following:

First, themachin'e must be applicable to all ordinary operations encountered in repairing a damaged automobile. This involves -straighten- 1ng out and reforming fenders, bodies, frames,

running gear, motor parts and the like. Two dis- `requirement for quick and simple adjustment of the spacing of the operating parts. so that spacing requirements are easilymet.

The machine, with 'its working appliances, is surprisingly compact when` the wide variety of operations that can beperformed by it are taken into account.

The machine is developed with a view to convenience of adaptability tovarious operations and conditions, and rapid change from .one oper- A ation to another. When the machine is setup to perform one special operation it may quickly and conveniently be changed over to another setup without the use of tools. Likewise, the various In constructing i spacings for spreading; and

adjustments for different spacing may be made tion with the accompanying drawing, will disclose to those skilled in the art the particular With the present machine it is possible to do "as a spreading device;

Figure 3 is a detail view of the locking pins shown in Figures 1 and 2; 'y

Figure 4 is a modified form of a spreading appliance operating in a small space, with the ram itself serving as the guide; g

Figure 5 shows a modified spreading appliance for heavy duty, also using the ram as a guide;

Figure 6 illustrates an appliance with external guide means and two jaws providing different Figure 'l shows a modification of theuse vof theappliance `shown in Figure 6;

, Referring now to Figure l, I have disclosedthe ram unit I 3 embodied in this gure for bothshort spacing and wide spacing compression of parts, or clamping thereof. This ram unit is supplied with fluid under .pressure from any. suitable source, such as a portable -manually operable hy'- draulic pump unit, through the flexible pressure conduit "I6, In this particular embodiment of the invention a suitable pipel length 200 is provided. This pipe length may be provided, at insuch as aligned drill holes. An adjustable end bracket or jaw 203 is suitably bored to fit over the pipe 200 and is provided with transverse" registering openings through which a lock pin 204, shown -in,detail in Figure-3, may extend for locking the bracket 203 in fixed position with re-i spect to the pipe 200. The .pipe herein referred to is preferably extraheavy 1%" pipe, carefully'I machined to uniform size, drilled, threaded and polished. A movable, bracket or jaw 265 is slidably mounted and guided on .the pipe 200. {The bracket or jaw 205 is provided with a threaded socket 206, which socket is adapted to receive the threaded end II'I of the plunger H5 of the ram unit I3.

200, to cooperate with the adjustable jaw 203, to

Upon movement of the plunger II5 the jaw 205 is moved axially along thepipe clamp members or spring members placed between the twojaws within the space indicated by the dimension X.

The ram unit I3 is 'held against rearward movement `by -means of the end bracket 205',

`which corresponds to the end bracket 205 carried by the plunger II5. 'Ihe bracket 205 is locked to thepipe 200 by means of the pin 204 against axial and rotary movement. A lnipple member, indicated at 201, connectsthe bracket `205 to the base |06 of theram unit, the nipple 20T being threaded into the socket 206 rof the bracket 205'..

and being also threaded into theopening II2 i in the ba'se I06of the ram unit. It is therefore apparent, when pressure is applied to the ram cylinder |00 bythe flexible hose I6 leading from bracket 20s. 'rhe movable jaw is thus guided in register with jaw 203 and bracket 205'. Thus,

clamping of any suitable members, bending of members, drawing twov spaced members toward each other, or other'forming operations may be produced by such action.

If `it is desired to provide for a wide spacing of the clamp, whereby two spaced frame members may be pulled toward each other, vor for similar or analogous operations, an extension pipe connection 2|0 is provided, indicated in dotted lines in Figure 1. The extension pipe, indicated in dotted lines at 2|0, is coupled to the pipe 200 by means of the union"2|2. The bracket 205' is then pinned to the extension pipe 2 I 0' adjacent its outer end, andthe ram unit vI3 is secured thereto in the same manner. The sliding jaw 205 now has a much greater clamping spread, as indicated by 'the dimension Y. Thus, upon application of pressure to the ram I3, the plunger I I 5 moves the jaw 205 toward the union 2|2, serving to pull .spaced frame members toward each other, or similar operations, as desired. It is, of course, to be understood thatvari'os lengths of pipes 200 and 2li) may be employed or substituted, as desired, d epending upon the desired spacing for the z Clamping jaws.

Where a spreading action is required, the' arrangement shown in Figure 2 may be used. Gen- =l erally, the same parts, as shown in Figure 1, are

employed. However, the jaws 205 and 205' are reversed in position, the. jaw 205 being secured to the pipe 200 by the pin 204 .while`the jaw 205 is movable to the right, as indicated. ItA will 'be f understood that the members to be spread apart i will be engaged by the jaw 205 and by either of the laws 203 or 205 as the nature of the ,work may require. It will be noted that the jaw 203 is reversed from its position shown in Figure 1.

kReferring to Figure 4, I have shown in this gre the use of the power unit for spreading members apart which havebeen crushed `together, or for similar operations upon metal members. In this particular embodiment the ram unit I3 'is'provided with a jaw member 2|5 which is threaded to the cap or head|03 of the ram cylinder, being engaged over the threaded vportion |04 o the cap. This xes the position of the spreading jaw 2|5 with respect to the ram unit I3. A

second jaw 2|6, having a threaded socket,2 l1, is

threaded upon the threaded end' I'I I ofthe plunger N5. Upon ,application of pressure to the ram the jaw 2|$ moves outwardly, away from the jaw 27|5, whereby it spreads any metal members which '1 may be in contact with the opposite surfaces of the jaws 2|5and 2|6. This spreading operation is usefully employed in connection with the pulling apart or bending of metal members which have been deformed toward each other, or in the -straighteningof any metal members or frame members which may be deformed and must `be spread in this manner.

In Figure 5 I have shown a modified form of spreading jaws in which the jaw 2|6 is mounted 'through a suitable stud 2 I8 or pipe nipple,-which has its opposite end thereaded into the opening |I2 in the end of the base |06 of the ram unit. This holds the jaw 2 I6 'in xed position.

The plunger ||5 carries, upon its threaded end II'I, a spreading bracket 220, which is adapted to `have a portion 222 overlying and guided on the outside of the ram unit. A jaw or bracket portion 223 projects laterally in register with the jaw 2|6, and it ismoved by the plunger I |5away from the bracket or jaw 2|6 to produce a spreading action.

The spreading action produced may beemployed for any purpose to which it is applicable,'such as the bending of fenders or running boards away `from the frame of a vehicle, the straightening of cross bracing members, or analogous operations rin which such action is capable of beingl employed to produce thegdesired straightening of metal. The bending stressen plunger ||5 is less in the set-up shown in Figure 5 than in Figure 4,

i* In Figures 6 and 7 is disclosed the provision of a spreading action employed in connection with an extension pipe, forming a guide. In these iig-v ures an extension pipe 225 is adapted to carry thereon a xed 4bracket member 226, shown in detail in Figure 6, keyed thereto by means of a. suitable pin such as the pin 204. The member 226 has a threaded socket to receive the threaded end II'I of the plunger |I5 of the ram unit I3.v

A bracket member 221 is adapted to have sliding engagement upon the pipe 225, and is carried in fixed position with respect to the ram unit I3 by means of a threaded opening adapted'to be threaded over the extending portion |04 of theI Vcap |03 of Athe ram member. The jaw 221 therefore moves asY an integral part of the ram unitfl3.

At its opposite end the ram unit is provided with a second sliding jaw or bracket member 229,

`which member has sliding movement with respect to the pipe 225 and is secured to the base |06' of the ram unit by means of the nipple connection 230; Thus', upon application of pressure tothe ram unit, the jaw 229 moves outwardly away from the fixed jaw 226 in register therewith, and thereby produces a spreading action between the surfaces of thejaw members 226 and 229. The threaded parts |04 and I I'I are shown as of different-diameters. They may be of the same pitch and diameter. So may the parts '|04 and 230. Where thev head I I1 issmaller than part |04it maybe freely passed through an opening which threads upon part |04. Ifthe parts are of the same diameter and pitch, the bracket 221,

for example, must rst be threaded past part IIT before it can be threaded upon part |04.

In the embodiment shown in Figure '7,Ythe jaw" or bracket member 229 is pinned to the pipe 225 by means of pinf204, and the jaw member 221 is likewise pinned to lthe pipe-by means of a pin 204, and is thus held in fixed position with respect to the ram unit. The plungerV II5 of the ram unit is adapted to carry on its end the jaw or bracket member 226 which, in this particular embodiment, is not keyed to the pipe 225. Therefore, upon application of pressure to the ram unit, the plunger I5 moves outwardly with respect to the jaws 221 and 229, moving the jaws 226 outwa'rdly along the pipe 225v and producing a spreading action between either `jaws 226 and 221 or jaws 226 and 229. Thus, variousspacings between .the jaw members and the ram unit may y be provided, so that the ram unit may be em-j which is capable of use in anfsituation in which be encountered in work the utilities and capabilities provided thereby can be employed.

I do not intend vto be limited to the details of the specific embodiment of my invention above described, except as they are essential to the. law of the machine, and are recited in the appended claim's.

' I intend to protect theinvention both broadly and specically.

I claim;

1. In a portable metal straightening machina?.

the combination of a tubular guide having suit*- ably spaced transverse holes, a plurality of -tubular slides guided onsaid guide, said slides having laterally extending jaws, said slides having transverse holes adapted to register with said .transverse holes in the guide, pins adapted to enter said holes for pinning one or more of the slides of the guide, said slides having coupling parts, a' hydraulic ram unit having a cylinder and a piston,

the cylinder and Ypiston having coupling portions for cooperating with said coupling parts, one of said slides being secured tothe end of said cylinder opposite the piston and movable along `said guide upon extension of said piston, and a flexible holes for pinning one or more of the slides to the guide,'said slides having threaded sockets, the axes of which are parallel to .the axis of the tubular guide, a hydraulic ram having a cylinder and a piston, said cylinder having threaded coupling portions 4at opposite ends thereof for connection with' said threadedsockets, and said piston having a threaded coupling portion at its outer extremity.

' 3. In a power unit ofthe class described, a pipe member, a plurality of brackets mounted on said member, one of said brackets being' keyed thereto, a 'hydraulic ram cylinder disposed adjacent said pipe member and extending substantially parallel thereto, one end of said cylinder being secured to one of said brackets and the opposite endl of said 'cylinder being secured to another of said brackets, a piston in said cylinder and extending therefrom, said bracket keyed to said pipe member being secured to the extending end of said piston, and means for ,applying pressure to said piston for moving one of said brackets axially along said pipe member away from the other of said brackets. f

4. 'In a metal bending and straightening machine, a ram unit having a cylinder of generally tubularY form and having an axially movable plunger' projecting from one end thereof, a spreading bracket detachably coupled to the end of said plunger, a second bracket detachably coupled to the cylinder of said unit at said end thereof, the outer faces of -said brackets being. substantially parallel to each ot/her to engage work to be spread apart, and means for supplying hydraulic ypressure, ,to said cylinder to move said i plunger outwardly of said unit to separate said brackets. y

5. In a metal bending and straightening machine, a ram unit of generally tubular form having an axially movable plunger, a. spreading jaw detachably coupled vtoothe end of said plunger, a

threaded cap on said unit adjacent said end of said plunger, a second jaw threaded to said cap and having an opening through'which said kplunger extends, the outer faces of said jaws being substantially parallel to each other, tov engage work to be spread apart, and means for applying kpressure to said lplunger to move the jaw on'said plunger along said guide member away from said secondV jaw member. I .Y 7. In a power unit of the'class described, a ra unit comprising a ram cylinder and a ram plunger, coupling means at the outer end of said plunger, coupling means on opposite ends of said cylinder, a spreader jaw carried by each of said coupling means including a laterally offset portion, the work to be spread being engageable by the spreader jaw carried bysaid ram plunger and either of the spreader jaws carried by said ram cylinder.

8. In almetal `bending and straightening machine, a ram unit ,including a cylinder and a plunger axially extensible from one end of said cylinder, coupling means on saidV one end of said cylinder and said plunger,`and jaw members detachably secured to said coupling means, said one jaw member on said cylinder being apertured to provide free movement of said plunger therethrough. x

9. In a portable metal bending and straightening machine, a hydraulic ram comprising a plunger and a cylinder therefor, jaw members,

means on said plunger and cylinder for detach-2 ably securing said jaw members thereto, and a guide member having a length greater than that of said ram and extending parallel to said ram and engaging said jaw members, said ram plungalong saidguide member.

10. In a power operated spreading device, a hydraulic ram unit comprising a cylinder and an axially extensible plunger vprojecting from one end thereof, means at opposite ends of said cylinder for selectively coupling a jaw member to eitherl end thereof, means at the extending end of said plunger for coupling a second jaw member thereto, and means for applying pressure to the interior of said cylinder for extending the same to spread said jaw members.

11. A portable metal bending andstraightening machine comprising, in combination, a tubular guide member, three jaw members having aperer being xedwith respect to axial movement tures therein of such diameter as to adapt them for slidable mounting on said guide member, means for locking at least one of said jaw members to said guide member, a hydraulic ram unit vmoved relative'to the other two jaw members.

12. A portable metal bending and straightening .machine comprising, in combination, a tubular .having a cylinder and a piston, and readily deguide member having a plurality of longitudinally spaced apart transverse apertures therein, three of pins .for cooperating with said transverse ap-A ertures in said "guide and jaw members for holding at least two of said jaw members immovable on said guide member, a hydraulic ram unit having a pair of oppositely movable members interposed between two of said jaw members, .readily detachable means interconnecting at least one of said movable ram members and vone of said last named two jaw members whereby, 0n application of hydraulic pressure to said ram, one of said jaw members is moved relative to the other two jaw members. f

13. A portable metal bending and straightening machine comprising, in combination, a guide member, a rst jaw member secured to said guide member, second and third jaw members arranged and adapted to be slidably carried by said guide member, means for selectively securing said second and third jaw members to said guide member, a hydraulicram unit having a pair of oppositely 1 movable members, and readily' detachable coupling means for operatively connecting said movable ram members with said second and third jaw members whereby. on application of hydraulic pressure to said ram, one of them is moved along said guide member relative to the other and to said iirst jaw member.

` 14.` A portable metal bending and straightening machine comprising, in combination, a hollow guide member adapted to withstand both tensile and compressive stress, a iirst jaw member secured to said guide member, second and third jaw members arranged and adapted to be slidably carried by said guideV member, means for selectively locking said second andthird jaw members to said guide member, a hydraulic ram unit havingv a cylinder and a piston, and readily detachable coupling means for operatively connecting said cylinder and piston with said second and third jaw members whereby, on application of f hydraulic pressure to said ram, one of them isw moved abutment, and means for relative to the other and to said first jaw member.

A15. In a portable metal bending and straightening machine, in combination, a ram unit comprising a ram Acylinder and a ram plunger axially extensible from one end of said cylinder, coupling means on said one end of said cylinder, and a Work engaging member having a laterally oiset v portion vdetachably mounted on said coupling `means and arranged and adapted to cooperate with said ram plunger for working metal engaged by the same.

16. In a portable metal bending and straightening machine, in combinatiorua ram unit comprising a ram cylinder and a ram plunger axiallyextensible from one end of said cylinder, coupling means on the outer end of said ram plunger and on said one. end of said cylinder, a work engaging member detachably mounted on the coupling means on said ram plunger, and a workzengaging member having a laterally offset portion detachablyy mounted on the coupling means onl said ram cylinder and arranged and adapted tol cooperate with said `'iirst mentioned work engaging member for working metal engaged by the same.

17. In a portable metal bending and straightening machine, in combination, a ram unit comprising a ram cylinder and a ram plungeraxially extensible from one end of said cylinder, `coupling means on the outer end of said ram plunger and on-said one end of said cylinder, work engagin'g members detachably mounted on said coupling means and having laterally offset portions ior engaging metal and working the same on movement of said ram plunger. y

, 18. A ram unit for applying force toga member to be moved comprising, a ram cylinder, a plunger in said cylinder having a projecting stud portion,

coupling means at the end of said cylinder nearer to said stud portion, means secured to said stud portion and to said coupling means for adapting said unit for engaging said member and a suitable said plunger.

` EDWARD M. PFAUSER.

applying pressure to 

